PhD Student
Education
MS, Bioengineering, UC Los Angeles
BS, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, UC Irvine
Bio
Liviu's research interests include the impact of climate change on California's ecosystems, specifically on soil microbial community structure and the role of microbes in terrestrial ecosystem-level nutrient cycling. He is also interested in exploring the interface of environmental economics, agriculture, environmental policy and soil science. Before arriving at the Bren School, Liviu worked as a researcher for the Boston-based biotechnology company, Greenlight Biosciences, where he collaborated on optimizing a cell-free platform for the cost-effective production of double-stranded RNA - a potential environmentally-friendly alternative to traditional insecticides. Before that, he worked briefly as a policy researcher for a member of the California Air Resource Board's Environmental Justice Advisory Committee, researching the potential impacts of various carbon pricing mechanisms on California's disadvantaged communities. Liviu holds a Bachelor's degree in Molecular Biology and Biochemistry from UC Irvine and a Master's degree from UCLA, where he wrote his thesis on the cell-free biochemical conversion of glucose to isobutanol under the guidance of Dr. James Bowie.
Year Admitted
2019
Faculty Advisor
Trish Holden